The original item was published from August 25, 2025 11:12 AM to August 27, 2025 12:12 PM
Building Water Literacy in Bastrop and Lee Counties
When we talk about “literacy,” most people think about reading and writing. However, there is another kind of literacy that plays an important role in our everyday lives: water literacy. Water literacy is the knowledge and understanding we have about water, including where it comes from, how we use it, and how we protect it for future generations.
For the Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District (LPGCD), increasing water literacy means helping our communities in Bastrop and Lee Counties make informed decisions about one of our most valuable and limited resources: groundwater. Water literacy is about understanding the science, systems, challenges, and opportunities that shape our local groundwater future.
Why Water Literacy Matters
Groundwater is at the heart of everything in the Lost Pines region: our homes, our farms, our businesses, our natural resources, and our environment. Yet many people do not realize the journey water takes before it reaches the tap or the work it requires to keep our water systems healthy. Without a shared understanding of how water works in our region, it is difficult for communities to work together toward conservation and sustainability. Water literacy empowers individuals to make choices that save water and reduce waste, participate in local water policy discussions, recognize the connection between daily actions and long-term water availability, and support projects that protect water quality and quantity.
How LPGCD is Building Water Literacy
The LPGCD mission goes beyond regulating and monitoring groundwater. This month we have lots of opportunities for residents to learn, ask questions, and take part in protecting our groundwater.
From 12:00 to 3:00 PM on September 17, Austin Water staff will be at our office to answer questions and share information about their Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) project, which is set to take place in our District. This is a chance for residents to hear directly from project experts, learn how ASR works, and understand what it could mean for our groundwater.
Directly following, we will have our regular LPGCD Board Meeting at 3;30 PM at our office, 317 E Hempstead St., Giddings, TX. Meetings are open to the public. To make a public comment, please register as a speaker by Monday, September 15 by contacting (512) 360-5088 or lpgcd@lostpineswater.org.
Then on September 20 from 10 AM to 12 PM, we are collaborating with Aqua Water Supply Corporation to host a Rainwater Harvesting 101 session at the Aqua WSC Annex Building, 401 Old Austin Highway, Bastrop, TX 78602. This free workshop will cover the basics of rainwater collection, from system design and installation to maintenance and practical uses. Participants from Bastrop or Lee County can also learn about our Rainwater Harvesting Rebate Program where we give you $1 for every 1 gallon of rainwater storage capacity up to $5,000. Please RSVP by calling (512) 360-5088 no later than 5:00 PM on Monday, September 15.
Water Literacy in Action
At LPGCD, we believe education is the first step toward conservation. We bring water literacy into our community through school programs, curriculum support for science teachers, public workshops, guides for well owners, and collaboration with local, regional, and state partners. When residents understand how water moves through our region, how it is managed, and how it can be protected, they are better equipped to take action. That action may be fixing a leak, supporting conservation projects, or engaging in policy discussions. If you would like us to give a presentation to your students or organization, please call (512) 360-5088 or email cmarks@lostpineswater.org.
Our Shared Responsibility
Every drop of water we use today is connected to the decisions we make as individuals and as a community. By learning more about our local water systems, we can each help keep Bastrop and Lee Counties’ water future secure. Join us at one of our upcoming events, explore www.lostpineswater.org, or call (512) 360-5088.
Let us make September a month for building water literacy. The more we know, the better prepared we are to protect our groundwater for ourselves, our neighbors, and generations to come.